Despite pulleys and sheaves appearing to be a minor part of your entire processing application, their role in the system should not be underestimated. Pulleys and sheaves are crucial pieces to the performance of your systems, and by choosing the wrong sheave or pulley in wire and cable manufacturing machines, three problems will occur. These three problems are, damage of sheaves and pulleys, damage of wire and cable, and downtime of awaiting fixes for damage caused by the sheaves. So, to answer the question of this blog, YES! It makes a massive difference what pulley you use in your processing applications. Below is an explanation of three consequences associated with choosing incorrect sheaves and pulleys, plus a how-to guide to make sure you choose the right equipment.
- Damage of Sheaves & Pulleys:
Pulleys that are the wrong size or material experience wear and damage that will often start as a minor issue and eventually become a catastrophic problem.
Wrong Size: By using an undersized pulley or sheave in a demanding environment, the pressure will add too much stress and cause the pulley to break. Alternatively, if you are using a pulley or sheave that is too big for your application, you add unnecessary weight to equipment.
Wrong Material: Even with the right size pulleys and sheaves for your production equipment, damage will be caused by buying sheaves made of inappropriate material. Sheaves and pulleys made from materials that are not designed for the linear product being manufactured, will tear up the pulley. For example, using nylon (Polyamide) sheaves in conditions hotter than 190 degrees F will ruin the sheave.
- Damage to Wire and Cable:
Picking the wrong pulleys and sheaves results will cause damage to wire, cable and other linear products. Two significant factors that cause damage to wire and cable in the manufacturing industry are choosing sheaves and pulleys that are the wrong size or material.
Wrong Size: By implementing a sheave that is too small, it will put too much pressure on your linear products and cause irreparable damage. By using sheaves that are too big, the wire and cable may slip out of place causing friction and other harm.
Wrong Material: Having sheaves and pulleys that are made out of the wrong material will break or damage wire and cable. Specific wire and cable needs to be manufactured with pulleys and sheaves that are designed for the task. Every material has a specific temperature range and unique characteristics to make sure the wire and cable being manufactured is at the highest level.
- The Result of Damaging Equipment and Product:
The obvious impact of damaging your linear product is the direct cost of product that becomes unusable. Similarly, replacing damaged parts can get very pricey. However, it is not only the direct replacement costs that become a problem when using the wrong sheaves and pulleys.
Downtime: When machine equipment is impacted because of the wrong sheaves and pulleys, a new part will be required, or a technician will have to fix the problem. This uses up valuable time and grinds the manufacturing process to a halt. Not only is money being used to replace damaged equipment and product, but profits from paused production are lost while awaiting new sheaves & pulleys or technicians.
How Can These Problems be Avoided?
- Choosing the Right Size: By using the right size pulleys and sheaves, products can be manufactured smoothly, efficiently, and safely.
- Picking the Right Material: Picking the right material for the job will allow linear product to be manufactured with ease. Check out our material guide on eSheaves.com to learn more about various materials and their unique properties
By choosing the wrong sheaves and pulleys for wire and cable manufacturing, it has the potential to cause serious damage to your equipment, wire, and cable. As a result, there will be extended downtimes in manufacturing while awaiting fixes. So, while sheaves and pulleys may seem like a small piece of equipment in large manufacturing machines, it is clear they are a key part of manufacturing companies' success. It makes a significant difference what pulley or sheave you use. If you need help deciding what sheave is best for your needs, you can reach out to our team at eSheaves!
At eSheaves, we customize and stock a variety of sheaves and pulleys. If you want to learn more about our products for the wire and cable manufacturing industry, please visit our webpage here. More specifically, our process sheaves are ideal for being used in machines that manufacture wire and cable. Check out our various options of process sheaves, here on our website. Alternatively, if you have any questions, we can help! Reach out to us by email through sales@esheaves.com or by phone at 800.321.LOOS (5667).